(SHIRO'S POV)
Needless to say, things were extremely awkward between me and Isabel. Every time I saw her, I'd get all flustered. Pretty ironic, I know, but after seeing her other side, I wasn't sure about how this one felt about me. Did they both share the same feelings? I just didn't know.
Viz and I hopped off of the floor and went downstairs. Everyone was eating breakfast. Well everyone except Izzy. She was smiling contently as she handed out plates. Now I know why she didn't eat much.
"Good morning apprentice." Eliza said, reading a newspaper.
"Sup." I took a seat next to Gabby and Clyde. Isabel came up to me and handed me a plate of pancakes with eggs and bacon.
"H-here you go Shiro. Please enjoy." She said politely.
"I uh...Thanks Izzy." I said with a blush. Her eyes were back to their golden color and her skin seemed more radiant.
I stuffed my face and looked away from her. Damnit Shiro! Get it together! I felt a tug on my pants leg. Viz looked at me with big eyes. I rolled mine and slid him a strip of bacon. His tail wagged with delight and he consumed the meat.
"Whoa! What happened to your neck Shiro?" Gabby asked. I almost choked on my food.
"What do you mean?" Your neck has a red spot with two holes in it. Outta the corner of my eye, I saw Isabel tense up.
"Oh um…It's just a few bug bites." I said with a nervous chuckle.
"They got you pretty good. It's looks painful." Gabby continued. Yeah, truth be told, it did burn like hell but I'm used to the throbbing pain now.
"I'm good, I swear." I said dismissively. Then a thought struck my mind. "Why ya so worried Gabs?" I asked her while wiggling my brows.
"Don't get it twisted, jackass. I just wanna make sure I don't have to chop your head off. The last thing we need to deal with is a damn vampire. Right Isabel?" Gabby asked smirking.
"..." Izzy got real quiet. I could tell what she was thinking. The was uncomfortable with the topic.
"So who's down to go adventure?!" I said quickly changing the subject.
"Well we are supposed to go to the island of Volcanius to help out a the citizens of Pyrus." Tazorac said.
"Why?" Clyde asked.
"They are in need of service. You see they live under the rule of Xena's older brother Xeno." Tazorac explain.
"We need to help my brother at all costs and save those poor, people. Xeno is a good leader but is in need of a little aid. Xeno has mastery over any fire related spells. Defeating him would be no easy task, but it seems that an evil gang called the Inquisition are after government power." Xena said, seriously.
"Then what are we waiting for? Let's go kick their ass!" I shouted.
Clyde rolled his eyes at me. "We can't just go in without a plan. You'll get your stupid ass murdered."
"Yeah yeah yeah. Whatever Clyde." I said brushing him off. "So how do we get there and when do we leave?"
"We leave in two days and we're taking the boat!" Tazorac said.
"...Shit!" I grumbled.
"Well then, you are all good to go. I'd pack some essentials for the trip. We may be a while." Eliza said.
As we all moved out of the kitchen, Isabel pulled me aside. "S-shiro, I need to talk to you...alone."
"Alright then. Let's go talk." I said to her.
We walked up to her room. She shut the door behind her and let out a breath. "What happened with us last night?"
"...Oh that...Well um…" I blushed like an idiot when the memory of last night played in my head.
Izzy looked at the spot she bit. "Oh god! I actually bit you!" She began tearing up.
"Wh-what?! Is that bad? Tell me it's not bad!" I panicked.
"You're gonna be fine, but I won't be."
"Why?" I asked her.
"I'll assume that you know about my real origin, so I will skip that part and go straight to the explanation." She took a deep breath. "My other half has been craving your blood ever since we caught whiff of your scent. Now that she's got a taste. She'll only crave your blood for the time being."
"Yeah I guessed that."
"A-also...did she do anything... inappropriate?"
I blushed heavily. The sight of Isabel's bare chest drove me nuts. "Uh... sorta."
Isabel threw her hands to her red face with embarrassment. "I knew it!"
"Yeah…"
"Shiro you have to stay away from her. The more she takes from you, the hard it is to keep control." Izzy said.
"Uh, ok. I'll try!" I said to her.
"Please, that's all that I'm asking." She said while hugging me.
-TWO DAYS LATER-
"GODDAMNIT!" I shouted.
"Suck it up and get on the boat." Clyde and Gabby said in unison.
Once we all boarded the ship, we set sail over to Volcanius. I was already bored so I decided to go hang with Gabby. I had to avoid Isabel for a bit, Viz was chasing a seagull and Clyde...was Clyde.
"Yo Gabby Gabs!" I said to her.
"What do you want Shiro?" She asked aggressively.
"Just wanted to chill with you."
"No."
"Please! I'm so goddamn bored!" I begged.
"Go away."
"I need you!" I shouted.
She groaned with annoyance. "What am I gonna do?" I'm bored too!"
"You know…we could always just-"
~WHAAM!!!~
"OW! I was gonna say train with each other! Damn!" I held my bruised face.
"Not in the mood. Now leave!"
"Woman...I am very persistent!"
She glared at me. "Why can't you just leave me alone?!"
"Because, we're friends, and friends do stuff together!" I said to her.
"Who said we were friends?"
Owch. "I did and since we're friends I say we go have some fun or something."
"Not interested." She said as she rolled her eyes.
I glared at her. Now this was just getting annoying. "Are you freaking kidding me?! I'm legitimately trying to not screw this up and you won't even give me a chance?! You'd really rather just sit here and be bored than hang out with the only other person your age that somewhat gets you!" I shouted getting in her face.
"I never asked to meet you! You could die for all I care!" She snapped back, in my face.
"Screw you then!" I yelled at her.
"Screw you!" She yelled back.
I didn't notice how close we actually were until I noticed our lips pressed lightly against each other's. She then widened her eyes and punched me hard in my face. "Ow! Fucking hell! Shit!" I yelled.
"What are you doing?!" She yelled.
"I don't know! I only did what you were doing!"
"What the hell was I doing?!"
"I don't know!" I shouted.
"Listen closely Shiro. I do not like you! I will not ever like you! So stay the hell away from me!" She glared and moved herself away from me.
"...Damn! Why do I always mess up around her?!" I held my face and looked up. Clyde was using his magic to entertain Izzy. She seemed so happy. Even Clyde was smiling. I sighed. I really should keep my distance from Isabel. Her night side seems obsessed with me but the day side seems to enjoy Clyde's lame ass. Shit! I had to go and make things weirder between Gabby and I. I'm a dickhead!
Viz came running up to me with a dying, twitching bird in his mouth. "I caught it!" He said happily. "You think Clyde will cook it for me?"
"I don't know. Maybe." I said. Viz ran over to Clyde and Izzy.
I sat down with my legs crossed and decided to try meditating. I closed my eyes and breathed in and out. Before I knew, my mind warped to something strange.
-TEN YEARS LATER-
(??? POV)
"C'mon kids! Come at me all at once!" I said to my three children.
"You asked for it dad!" The oldest one said confidently. His aura flared into a red colorization. The boy charged at me, followed by his younger brother and sister. I blocked dodged each of the attacks. Both of the younger kids flipped back and charged their mana.
"Ward of Flames: Inferno Spear!" The boy shouted. A sharp blast of fire flew from his hands.
"Ward of Frost: Cold Fusion!" The girl shouted. A beam of ice was sent straight for me.
"Tome of Light: Particle Shield!" I created a large, bubble of light that deflected both attacks.
"Gotcha!" My eldest son said behind me from within my bubble. He pointed a small sword at my back and grinned.
"Nice one, but…" I leg sweeped him and tossed him to his siblings.
"Kids! Tell your father it's time to eat dinner!" My wife shouted at us. I chuckled and scooped them all up.
"Well then, let's go get some grub!" I said to then.
We sat at the table and enjoyed the meal wife made wonderfully for use all. My lovely wife looked at me with a confused look. Where's your "partner in life" at?" She asked, referring to my best friend.
"He's probably off taking care of something. He does have a family now, so I wouldn't put it past him." I said eating my steak.
"I'd love to have his family over again sometime. His wife is such an amazing cook. She really does help out."
"I think you do a pretty good job yourself." I said winking at her.
"Mom, I'm finished! Can I go to Warren's house now?" My oldest son asked.
"Ok, but I want you home by eight."
"Sure thing mom!" The boy said.
"Riley, wait!" I called out to him. It's your birthday tomorrow and I got something special for you, early in the morning. Make sure you come home on time so you can get to bed."
"I will dad! I promise." Riley said with a smile.
"Alright! Be good!" I dismissed him and he ran off to his best friends house.
"Daddy, can Elisabeth and I go out back and play some more?" My youngest son asked.
"Sure thing. Just stay safe. The two small kids ran out of the back door, giggling.
"Well my sweet, that just leaves us." I said to my smiling wife. I lifted her up and smirked at her. Before I could continue with my display of affection, Riley came busting through the door. He had scratches and cuts all around his body. "Riley!" I put my wife down and we ran to our injured son.
"Oh my God! What happened?!" My wife asked.
"...W-warren and I...got *sniff* attacked by a huge BattleBeast…*sob* Warren's dead...He got eaten." Riley balled his eyes out on his mother's dress.
I glared at the floor. I got up and started for the door. I looked back and told me wife to grab the kids and to keep them save. I slammed my fist against my chest, stopping my heart. I blacked out for a moment before I was transformed into Vengeance. I brought out my scythe and readied it. When I stepped outside, I saw nothing but chaos. BattleBeasts with dark auras were terrorizing the city. Little did I know this was only the start.
-PRESENT-
(SHIRO'S POV)
My eyes flew open. I gasped heavily as I recovered from my dreamlike state.
I looked down to see Viz sleeping soundly on my lap. I sighed and pet him softly. I gently placed him on the ground. I got up and walked over to Xena and Amora.
"Greetings, Shiro." Amora said to me.
"Sup."
"What is troubling you. I can sense struggle within you." Xena said.
"I keep having these weird dreams."
"Elaborate, child." Xena spoke.
"So I had one about a black and green Grim Reaper that was fighting against a God and was getting his ass kicked but in the end, he escaped via time magic." I said to her.
"Did not just say, time magic?" Amora asked me with a strange look.
"Yeah. I said something like WARD OF TIME: TIME WARP REWIND...or something like that…" I said to them.
Amora and Xena shared a look. "Ward of Time? The only person that can use a spell of time is the chronomancer Ronex."
"Ronex?" I asked with confusion.
"Yes. Ronex. He is also known as the Father of Time. He is the reason time has started and when he dies, he'll be the reason that time stops."
"Ok...but why would I have a dream about him and a death god?"
"It might not have been Ronex though. Ronex resides only in deep depths of the Time Warp realm. If he's not there then time will cease to exist." Amora explained.
"I'd recommend keeping an eye out for any more of these "dreams" because they just might be visual prophecies." Xena concluded.
"Alright then." I said.
-TWO HOURS LATER-
The ship had finally docked on the coast of Pyrus. The city was lit with flaming candles, the streets were laid out with stone. It was a pretty neat town. Banners hung all around the place and people seemed to be celebrating some kind of event.
"Damn! This place is freaking lit!" I yelled.
"We've come during the Summer Solstice event. This celebration lasts for two weeks." Xena told us.
"Cool! I wanna try the flaming flamingo kabobs!" Viz said, drooling.
"Very well. I shall go and speak with my brother and discuss our mission." Xena said.
"I'll come with you! I would like to meet a legendary pyromancer." Clyde spoke.
"Very well then. Be sure to watch what you say. Xeno can be very... temperamental. I easy to anger and if that happens, you're sure to get burned."
Clyde nodded and they walked off in the direction of Xeno's tower. "Well then... let's go have some fun!" Vizeron yelled as he ran over to the food stands. Gabby grabbed Isabel and they went to look for clothes with Eliza and Amora. Which left me and Taz.
"So…" I started awkwardly.
"...Yeah…" He replied scratching the back of his head.
"I'm just...gonna go over there and...do a thing…" I said.
"Yeah...you do that." Taz said as we walked away from each other. Don't get me wrong, Taz is cool and all but, he's...kind of a stone cold, drag.